Nearly two dozen cars parked outside of a Donald Trump rally were spray-painted with graffiti Saturday outside the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine.
Maine GOP leaders say it's the latest in a long list of property damage and theft cases against members of their party this election season.
"It was a disgusting display," said Jason Savage, executive director of the Maine GOP. "Just an attack on people's property and their right to assemble."
Savage said his office receives several reports each day of political signs damaged or stolen, up exponentially from a typical election year. Seeing a GOP office in North Carolina attacked over the weekend put Republicans in Maine on edge.
"This is a dangerous place to go," said Savage.
Victims of the Bangor vehicle vandalism say they can't understand it.
"There's no excuse for anyone doing this, regardless of your political views," said Jack Mosher, who found his truck spray painted after the rally in Bangor.
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He said he brought his 8-year-old son to the rally, and had a hard time explaining the damage to him.
"This isn't the Civil War, it's the election," said Mosher. "It's really hard to explain to an 8-year-old why adults would do such a thing."
Bangor Police are reviewing security footage from around the venue. The department posted on its Facebook page: “We are sad that someone had to come along and practice the art of aerosol-can idiocy in our city. If you have any information on the vandals that proved why huffing solvents is illegal, please give Detective Joel Nadeau a jingle.”
Maine Democrats say they are being targeted, too.
Brandon Haines Savage found his car, parked at the Farmington Fair last month, keyed and scratched. He had several campaign stickers, including a Hillary Clinton sticker, damaged. A homophobic slur was carved into the truck, as well.
The Maine Democratic Party Chair, Phil Bartlett, said his party condemns any act of violence.
"We, not as Democrats, but as human beings, unequivocally condemn any act of violence, theft, vandalism, or intimidation against any person for any reason," said Bartlett. "What happened to those cars in Bangor was not a political expression: it was a criminal act, and those guilty should be punished within the criminal justice system."
